CONWAY FIRE CHIEF SAYS PERMITS REQUIRED

THE CONWAY FIRE CHIEF SAYS THE RULES FOR MAKING A FIRE OUTDOORS THIS TIME OF YEAR ARE SIMPLE – YOU MUST GET A FIRE PERMIT.

STEVE SOLOMON ISSUED THE REMINDER AFTER A WEEKEND WHERE FIRE DEPARTMENTS IN CONWAY RESPONDED TO SEVERAL ILLEGAL OUTDOOR BURNS.

IN ONE INCIDENT, CONWAY POLICE ISSUED SUMMONSES TO TWO CONWAY TEENS ALLEGEDLY RESPONSIBLE FOR STARTING A SMALL FIRE UNDER THE SWIFT RIVER COVERED BRIDGE NEAR WASHINGTON ST.AND WEST SIDE RD. IN CONWAY.

SOLOMON’S DEPARTMENT RESPONDED TO THE SCENE AT 10:30 P.M. FRIDAY AFTER A CALLER REPORTED SEEING A FIRE UNDER THE BRIDGE.

POLICE CHARGED THE TWO TEENS – IDENTIFIED AS 19-YEAR-OLD DAVID F. BLODGETT OF CRESCENT DR. – AND 18-YEAR-OLD ETHAN J. RAFFERTY OF PEQUAWKET DR. WITH “PERMIT DAMAGES PENALTY” – MEANING IF FOUND GUILTY THEY COULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR BURNING WITHOUT A PERMIT, THE COST OF ANY DAMAGE CAUSED BY THE FIRE AND THE COST OF FIREFIGHTERS AND EQUIPMENT THAT RESPONDED TO THE FIRE.

SOLOMON SAYS HE’S SURE THE CHARGES WILL GET THE MESSAGE ACROSS.

THE CHIEF SAYS HIS FIREFIGHTERS HAVE ALREADY RESPONDED TO 18 ILLEGAL BURNS THIS SPRING.

HE SAYS THE GREENUP HAS HELPED REDUCE THE THREAT OF FIRES SPREADING RAPIDLY BUT LATE LAST WEEK THERE WERE THREE CLASS FOUR DAYS IN A ROW WHERE NO FIRE PERMITS WERE ISSUED DUE TO HOT DRY WINDS THAT CAUSED HIGH FIRE DANGER.